(Courtesy/Heather D.)

Over seventy Academy students visited the Dawes Arboretum on October 28 as part of a joint field trip for students in our Environmental Science or Environmental Writing courses.

Dawes Arboretum, a nonprofit company, spans over 2,000 acres. At Dawes, dedicates itself to enriching lives through the conservation of trees, nature, and history. 

Upon arrival, we divided into two groups–mine  followed Josh, a guide that loved all things horticultural and who taught us how to identify trees using a guide to distinguish a pine, from a maple and from a hickory. 

At the arboretum’s headquarters, we gathered tools to help us identify the biodiversity of the area’s ponds and streams. Scooping out moss and algae into a pan, we found tadpoles, dragonfly larvae, and mayflies hidden in between. 

Visiting the Dawes Arboretum opened up my eyes to see nature in greater detail than I had before. My only downside was that we visited at a time when most of the trees had already lost all their leaves. Located a mere forty minutes from Academy, I hope to go back next year when the leaves start to change colors.